I had my first taste of personalization sometime in the 2010s - with my Netflix account. A simple quiz asked what I was interested in, and then an algorithm made all the shows and films I would ever wish to watch available at my fingertips. It was, quite frankly, magical.
Since then, I’ve dabbled into other personalized products - skincare (amazing), haircare (not for me), wine (so-so), and more. I've found that personalization really makes a difference when the choices are endless or when so much research is required that it’s easier just to throw in the towel.
One such example: vitamins. I think we’ve all asked our GPs if we need vitamins only to be told that “a well-balanced diet” doesn’t require supplements. Unfortunately, my diet often consists of whatever my toddler refuses to finish for lunch. Post-pregnancy, I could’ve used vitamins for fatigue, hair growth, and iron-deficiency anemia, but I didn’t know where to start. That’s where Care/of comes in.
The Process
Care/of starts with a simple quiz asking basic demographic information and a few questions about lifestyle and specific health goals. It only took a few minutes and I did the whole thing on my phone during a brief gap on a busy work day. The quiz identified my main goals to focus on: energy, skin, joints, stress, brain, immunity, hair, and sleep. A few days later, I received my personalized supplements in the mail.
I loved the individual packs with my daily supplements (with a fun message printed on each one!) for ease. I definitely can’t remember to take pills reliably and had to resort to grandma-style pill organizers in the past. The daily packets are much cuter and perfect to take on-the-go. I was concerned about environmental friendliness, but the packets are actually compostable!
The Results
From Care/of, I received a customized vitamin pack, plus a collagen creamer and a sleep blend. My Care/of pack has Vitamin C for immune health, a probiotic for gut health, and an iron supplement, which is something I’m often lacking. Throughout the day, I have so much more energy than I used to, and I’m supporting my immunity–two things that are hugely important as a parent to a toddler.
I also tried the Sleep Blend, which contains melatonin (which I’ve tried before) along with ashwagandha extract which lowers occasional stress, valerian which can improve sleep quality, and passionflower extract, which is traditionally used for its calming effects. Melatonin has typically had very mild effects on me, so I was surprised to get a really good night’s sleep after taking the sleep blend.
Secondly, I tried the Vanilla Oat Collagen, which conveniently doubles as a coffee creamer. I loved that this one had a vanilla flavor and no strange aftertaste. I’ve seen a huge improvement in my skin elasticity. Fine lines have started to creep up, and Care/of’s collagen is now an essential part of my skin diet to help combat signs of aging.
The Verdict
Care/of boasts quality ingredients backed by science, so I felt confident that I was taking safe and effective supplements. Best of all, I didn’t have to do any of my own research.
